“We will vote yes whenever the referendum is held,” read a statement issued by Kurdistan Islamic Group (Komal) on the eve of the historic vote.
While maintaining that Kurdish decision-makers had shown “negligence” in preparing for the vote, Komal said Baghdad and the world are not justified in rejecting “this natural and God-given right of the Kurdistani nation.”
“Any Kurdish loyalist will say yes to the question whether they want an independent state,” Komal stated.
The party concluded, however, that it would hold the decision-makers who led the referendum process “responsible for the implications and feared possibilities.”
Komal, along with Gorran, has thus far refused to participate in months of meetings, decisions, and preparations leading up to Monday’s vote.
Earlier this week, Komal and Gorran issued a joint statement saying self-determination is a natural right of Kurdistan and the referendum is a tool to achieve this objective.
“However, holding a referendum under the current complex circumstances marked by numerous crises and an uncertain future doesn’t serve this strategy. Rather, it is a dangerous step for now and the future of our nation,” read the statement.
